Pot policy has British Conservatives in a huff

LONDON {AP} Britain's opposition Conservative Party has suddenly split between advocates of a tough new policy against marijuana and senior party figures who admit they smoked it in their youth.

The issue flared up at the party's annual conference, where criminal justice spokeswoman Ann Widdecombe announced a policy of mandatory fines for the first offense of possessing any amount of marijuana.

"It means zero tolerance of possession. No more getting away with just a caution, no more hoping that a blind eye will be turned," said Widdecombe, who cited New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's anti-crime policies as her inspiration. The policy called for an automatic $145 fine on first offense.

Widdecombe's announcement was calculated to be popular with members of the traditional law-and-order party and attractive to swing voters.

However, the Police Superintendents Association called the policy unenforceable. The Daily Telegraph, usually a cheerleader for the Conservatives, said in an editorial that Widdecombe "displayed almost zero common sense." An editorial in The Times said her policy would "criminalize thousands of otherwise law-abiding individuals."